Columns & Editorials

“I’m Good” was one of the last songs to be recorded for my new album, The Good Life. Lecrae and I actually wrote and recorded an entirely different song, and we liked it at first. But eventually we decided it was just pretty good; and we wanted to put out something great. So I played a few beats for him that I hadn’t written lyrics for yet, and we were both in love with this one. It was epic, aggressive, and catchy.

I told him I wanted to write an anthem that communicated our security in Christ. I wanted to encourage Christians to stop living in fear and start living in Romans 8. We decided on the “I’m Good” theme, we asked the Lord for help, and we started writing in opposite corners of Reach’s Atlanta studio. We recorded most of our vocals that night, and when it was all done we loved it.

Hopefully this explanation of the lyrics will help us to digest the content…

Verse 1:
I hear the trouble’s coming for me, death is at my door way/
Fear says I’ma perish bro, but that ain’t what my Lord say/
He said I ain’t guilty though I still ain’t had my court date/

This is the place many believers find ourselves. We know that pain, trials, and maybe even death are imminent. Our fears whisper in our ears and tell us that this trial is the end of the world- that it’s over for us. But that’s not what the Lord has told us. The Lord has promised us that we will be declared not guilty before Him because of Christ (Romans 4:5). And therefore we will NEVER perish (John 3:16). Death is not the end for the Christian; it is the beginning of a new, more glorious reality.

I’ve tasted and I’ve seen Him, even though it’s just a foretaste/

Because Jesus died and brought me to God (1 Peter 3:18), I’ve tasted and seen that He is good. But the goodness that I’ve tasted now is only a foretaste. One day I will be with my Lord, and experience His goodness in full.

I don’t know what they feeling, I don’t know they thinking/
Bro my soul’s invincible like Mario when he blinking/

In this line, I was having a little fun with the Mario reference. But I was careful not to say that I’m invincible. I can be wounded, I can be discouraged, I can even be killed. But my soul can never be killed or destroyed, because I’m secure in Jesus. When Super Mario gets that special blinking star, no matter what enemies he runs into, they can’t hurt Him. The same can be said of a redeemed soul. You can rip my body to shreds, but my soul will remain intact. And God has prepared a city for us (Hebrews 11:16).

They see me full of joy, like I don’t what He drinking/
Cup is full of living water bro, I sip it and thank Him, yessir/

People may see me fighting for joy in the midst of trial and be confused. “How can he smile in a time like this?” But I’m not crazy or drunk, I’m secure. I’ve sipped from the well of eternal life, and my soul is satisfied (John 4:13-14).

I might not win a grammy, or get another stellar/
But I’ll get rewards from my Lord, it ain’t nothing better/
I might not chart again, I might not sell a milli/
But I been purchased by my King, He’s forever with me/

I wrote this part because, in the world’s eyes the height of success for an artist is selling a bunch of records and getting a bunch of recognition. But even if I never get another award or land on another chart, I’m good. I may not get rewards from the world, but I’ll get rewards from Jesus. My records may not be purchased by anybody, but I’ve already been purchased and redeemed by Jesus.

So what they talking bout? No they can’t knock me down/
Yessir I do feel pain, but Jesus got me now/

Once again, I don’t want folks to think I mean Christians don’t face trial, or even that we don’t feel the weight of those trials. We are often faced with intense suffering, but Jesus has us.

All of the truth I mentioned above motivates me. This is why I proclaim good news and put out albums. This is why I want to spit bars that catch people’s attention. I want to point them to the source of all things good.

Hook:
Partner you know I’m good to go/
Pressure creates diamonds and fire refines the gold/
There’s nothing on this planet that’s satisfying my soul/
I’m living for tomorrow, today is out of control, fa sho, I’m Good/
Take all my money, I’m good/
Here comes the pain, I’m good/
Yeah they can kill me, I’m good/
To die is gain, I’m good/
I ain’t saying that we don’t feel any pain/
I’m just saying you can’t take us out the game, cause homie we good/

These lyrics are pretty self explanatory. In the context of this song “good” doesn’t mean I’m perfect or righteous on my own. Biblically we know that’s not true of any of us (Romans 3:11-12). “I’m good” is another way of saying, “I’m cool” or “Everything’s ok.” Because we’re in Christ, you can take everything from us, but we’re good because we’re anchored in Christ.

Verse 3:
I know that I’ma suffer, that’ll only make me tougher/
Death is just a doorway to take me to my faithful lover/

Passages like Acts 14:22 and 2 Timothy 3:12 remind me that as a Christian I will suffer. And passages like James 1:4-8 and Romans 8:28 remind me that God uses suffering to make me more like Christ. These trials may even take my life, but believers don’t have to fear death. Jesus has taken the sting out of death, and it’s much better for us to be with Jesus than to be here.

The Lover of my soul’s with me, you can shake the brother/
But you’ll never knock me down or take me under, bring the thunder/
Let the storms come to haunt us and hurt us/
They can’t take our Lord from us bro He got us a verdict/
Not guilty, He’s with us and He stays present/
Never leaves me He even gives me stage presence/

These final six bars all testify to one anchoring truth, the Lord is with me. And no matter what happens, He will still be with me. There is absolutely nothing that can separate me from the love of God in Christ! (Romans 8:38-39)

The most important thing about me is the fact that I’m united to Jesus. That can never be taken from me. Whatever comes my way, He has taught me to say, “It is well with my soul.”